One of America's foremost voices on counterterrorism, homeland security, and the intersection of race and justice in public life.
Erroll Southers grew up in Civil Rights-era New Jersey and has since become an award-winning public servant, academic, and global security consultant. He is the Associate Senior Vice President of Safety and Risk Assurance at the University of Southern California, where he has held a faculty position for more than two decades, and served as President of the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners.
He was President Barack Obama's first nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Transportation Security Administration; appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Deputy Director of the California Office of Homeland Security; and appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the Commission on the State of Hate.
He previously served as an FBI Special Agent and the Chief of Homeland Security and Intelligence for the Los Angeles World Airports Police Department — the nation's largest airport police department — as well as Assistant Vice President and Chief of Protective Services at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Dr. Southers is the author of Homegrown Violent Extremism and his new memoir, Inside the Castle Walls. His writing has appeared in USA Today, the Newark Star-Ledger, and the LA Times. He has appeared on The History Channel, Bravo, and CNN; served as technical advisor for the Netflix film Carry-On; and is the national security and law enforcement analyst for NBC4 Los Angeles. He holds doctoral and master's degrees from USC, and a BA from Brown University.
Decades of frontline intelligence work distilled into rigorous, accessible analysis of the global and domestic threats that define the modern era — and the policy frameworks required to counter them.
Based on his groundbreaking academic study, Dr. Southers unpacks the radicalization pipeline and what law enforcement, communities, and institutions must understand to prevent domestic terrorism.
A deeply personal and analytically rigorous exploration of what it means to serve as a Black man inside America's most powerful institutions — and what institutional reform actually requires in practice.
The guiding philosophy of Dr. Southers' career: how to drive lasting change from within systems, maintain integrity under pressure, and inspire those who serve alongside you.
From a harrowing encounter inside a Chinese intelligence safe house to the highest corridors of U.S. federal agencies, Dr. Southers illuminates the covert world of intelligence with rare authority.
Grounded in executive leadership of safety at a major research university, Dr. Southers addresses institutional safety culture, crisis preparedness, and building community trust from the ground up.
An American Journey Through Espionage,
Counterterrorism & Government
"He didn't go to China on an espionage mission — but it turned into one."
A rare, candid account of one of America's most respected counterterrorism experts — a memoir that reveals the complex intersection of espionage, federal power, presidential politics, and the lifelong reckoning of a Black man navigating America's most powerful institutions.
Erroll Southers is one of the most extraordinary public servants I have had the privilege of knowing — a man whose brilliance, integrity, and dedication to the safety of our communities is unparalleled. This memoir is essential reading.
Karen Bass
Mayor of the City of Los Angeles
"An insightful and honest account of Dr. Southers' life in public service — from Santa Monica police officer through the FBI, to the inner circles of homeland security, from gang units to classified counterterrorism operations. A must read account from America's preeminent counterterrorism expert."
William Bratton
Former Police Commissioner, New York City & Boston
"Erroll Southers is one of the most extraordinary public servants I have had the privilege of knowing — a man whose brilliance, integrity, and dedication to the safety of our communities is unparalleled. This memoir is essential reading."
Connie Rice
Civil Rights Lawyer & Member, Obama's Task Force on 21st Century Policing
"Erroll Southers has been a transformative force at every level of law enforcement and government. Inside the Castle Walls is a powerful testament to what it means to serve with courage, purpose, and an unwavering moral compass."
Approved for editorial and promotional use. Credit: Dr. Erroll G. Southers / Gouché Publishing House.
Inside the Castle Walls
Foreword by Arnold Schwarzenegger · Gouché Publishing House · 2026
Whether you're planning a conference, a media interview, a university keynote, or a leadership summit — Dr. Southers brings rare authority, lived experience, and a powerful personal narrative to every engagement.
